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Hong Kong students begin pro-democracy class boycott Hong Kong students begin pro-democracy boycott
(35 minutes later)
Hong Kong students have begun a week-long boycott of classes to protest against China's stance on electoral reform in the territory.Hong Kong students have begun a week-long boycott of classes to protest against China's stance on electoral reform in the territory.
Thousands of students from more than two dozen universities and tertiary institutions have vowed to take part, as well as hundreds of academics. Thousands of students from more than two dozen universities and tertiary institutions have vowed to take part.
Beijing had recently ruled out open nomination for the election of the city's chief executive. It is a prelude to a larger protest on 1 October planned by pro-democracy group Occupy Central.
The issue has gripped the city in recent months, sparking protests. Beijing has rejected open nominations for the city's leadership poll, dashing hopes of those seeking full democracy.
In addition to the boycott, student activists are also organising a series of rallies and public lectures in a park near government offices. The boycott is being organised by groups such as the Hong Kong Federation of Students and Scholarism.
The protest is planned as a prelude to a larger pro-democracy protest planned for 1 October by one of the leading groups, Occupy Central. Student activists are also organising a series of rallies and public lectures in a park near government offices.
Students say China's plan for a committee to vet candidates for the leadership election in three years time does not amount to the greater democracy Hong Kong was promised when it was handed back from Britain to China in 1997. RTHK reported that teenage activists were standing outside secondary schools early on Monday morning distributing yellow ribbons to students arriving for class and urging them to boycott classes.
About 400 academics and non-teaching staff are also taking part in support of the students, according to the South China Morning Post.
Campaign ahead
A larger pro-democracy protest is due to take place next month. Occupy Central has pledged to stage a sit-in at Hong Kong's financial district, which critics have said may shut down the area.
The issue of how Hong Kong can choose its leader gripped the city in recent months, sparking protests from both the pro-democracy and pro-Beijing camps.
The Chinese government had previously promised direct elections for Hong Kong's leader, the chief executive, by 2017.
But in August, it ruled that voters would have a choice from a list of two or three candidates selected by a nominating committee.
Democracy activists say China will use this committee to screen out candidates it disapproves of.
Pro-Beijing activists, meanwhile, believe the other camp is disrupting Hong Kong's peace and stability.
The protesting students say Beijing's decision does not amount to the greater democracy Hong Kong was promised when it was handed back from Britain to China in 1997.
But the BBC's China editor Carrie Gracie says the communist leadership in Beijing is turning firmly against ideas of political reform at home and has no interest in encouraging noisy critics.But the BBC's China editor Carrie Gracie says the communist leadership in Beijing is turning firmly against ideas of political reform at home and has no interest in encouraging noisy critics.